1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of measuring an object, advantageously a body region of the human body.
2. Related Art
Methods for measuring a body region of the human body are required in particular for the fabrication of prostheses, for example, for stumps of limbs, as well as ortheses or medical supporting elements, such as compression stockings, for example, in order to make possible an individual adaptation of the prosthesis or orthesis to the respective body region.
The measuring of the respective body region on the one hand requires high accuracy, in order that the prosthesis or orthesis subsequently fabricated on the basis of the measurement data offers a high degree of wearing comfort. On the other hand, the measuring of the body region should be possible in a sufficiently short time and with relatively low expenditure on equipment. In this way the patient can be measured in situ in a relatively short time and is consequently spared the need to travel to where there is special measuring equipment, possibly far away, and is spared a protracted period of time for carrying out the measuring operation.
It is known for this purpose to use, for example, measuring tapes to measure the body region. In this case, for example when dealing with a stump of a limb, not only the length but generally also a number of circumferential measurements have to be carried out, which nevertheless generally do not allow very great accuracy in the measuring procedure. It is also known to take impressions of the body regions concerned. However, such a method is complicated and laborious; furthermore, for the production of the prosthesis or orthesis, an impression of the body region first has to be transported to the respective manufacturer, which in addition to transportation costs may also cause a greater time delay.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of measuring a body region, especially for fitting a prosthesis or orthesis. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method which makes an exact measurement of the body region possible with relatively little effort and in a relatively short time.
In accomplishing the foregoing objects, there has been provided according to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of measuring a body region of a human body comprising arranging a reference object, having a reference zone of a previously known length, and an angle-determining device in a fixed spatial relationship with the body region. A camera is arranged in a first camera position in a first viewing direction, perpendicular to the reference zone, to view the body region with the reference object, and a first image is recorded. A camera is arranged in a second camera position in a second viewing direction, perpendicular to the reference zone, to view the body region with the reference object, and a second image is recorded. A determination is performed of first and second reference distances, which correspond to distances of the reference object from the first and second camera positions, from the length of the reference zone and the projected images of the reference zone on the images. A contour line is determined extending in three-dimensional space for each image from the reference distances and the projected image of the contour line on the basis of a previously stored reference model. An individual model of the body region is determined from the contour lines and the reference model.